Oregon I'm yours!

I surprised my husband for Christmas and got us plane tickets to Portland for New Years.  I was so excited to not only suprise him, but also to spend a little of the holiday with our Portland family.  I love them so much and we had, as always, an amazing time!

We got into Portland right at lunch time.  My sister and brother in law picked us up and we headed straight to grab a bite to eat and a drink!  We ate at the Chapel Pub and it was good!  Of course it was a McMenamins and I had to get a Ruby Ale, my favorite of their beers!  We ate lunch, had a few drinks, and headed across the bridge to Washington to see our nephew Vince wrestle in a tournament.

After spending a few hours at the wresting match we headed back across the bridge and down to one of my favorite parts of  town, the Hawthorne District.  My sister just started working at a new salon and she wanted us to check it out. The Red Velvet Parlor is sooo cute, and soo my sister.  I am so excied for her to build her career and clientele there. We walked around for a bit and did a little window shopping through all the great really unique stores they have around.  And of course after all that walking we had to stop for a drink.  We stopped at The Gold Dust Meridian and had snacks and champagne cocktails.  The Gold Dust Meridian is a really cool retro kinda place with food and drinks to match.  After having a couple drinks and some food we walked down to The Space Room and planted ourselves there for the rest of the night.  The Space Room is one of thoses old dive bars that I looove, black lights, paintings, christmas lights, and the lingering smell of coffee and cigarettes.  We celebrated there all night long the 4 of us, plus for a few hours a guy named Brad, and Kevin's brother Ray and his wife Renne.  We had a little too much fun that night (we drank as if it was New Years) and couldnt wait to get back to Tonie and Kevin's to crash.  

New Year's eve day we were all a little hung over from the night before.  We slept in late, Tonie made an amazing breakfast of biscuts and gravy (Brad's favorite), and we stayed in our jammies all day long and relaxed around the house.  I love that house more than words can describe.  There is definitely something magical about it and being there makes me feel like I'm at home and my heart is full!  Tonie made appetizers that we snacked on all day, and Brad made Old Fashioneds and Sweet Tea vodka drinks for us to sip on.  My nephews (Vince and Drew) loved having their Uncle Brad around and it was nice to just relax all day.  Poor Vince (pictured above) had a busted lip and eye from his wrestling match the day  before.  I cant believe how old and handsome they both are.  We made beef stew for dinner and relaxed in front of the fire all night long.  It was the most perfect way to ring in 2011 (still in out jammies BTW), and there was nowhere else I would rather be or with anyone else for that matter.  

New Years Day we went down to Grandmas house for my Mother in laws famous tacos! Aunt Cathie, Aunt Carrie, and Aunt Sue, Uncle Pid, Cousin Collin, Bob, Sharon, Grandma and the 6 of us ( Tonie, Kevin, Vince, Drew, Brad and I) had such a great day! Sharon's taco's are the best and it had been sooo long since we had had them!  We all hung out all day and enjoyed the family.  Sharon treated Tonie and I to a Scentsy candle for Christmas.  Aunt Cathy is a dealer so she brought all her stuff for us to smell and choose.  It was a lot of fun!  The sunset that night was beautiful and I couldn't think of a better way to spend the first day of 2011!

On Sunday the boys hung out at the house most of the day and Tonie and I went shopping.  We met Gina and Michael that night for dinner and drinks at Brad's favorite bar  The Highland Stills in Oregon City.  This is this closest to an Irish Pub I have ever been in since being in an Irish pub in Ireland (even though it is a Scottish Pub).  It was a cold damp night and perfect for some comfort food and beer!  We had such a fun time and it was sooo good to see Gina and Michael.  Gina and Tonie have been best friends since they were kids and she has always been apart of Brad's life.  She is more like family than anything and we love her as such!

 Our last day in Oregon we had family lunch and all went down to Old Town pizza and met cousin Sara and her ADORABLE daughter Mia.  Sara was always Brad's favorite cousin and we hadn't seen her or Mia since our wedding.  Carley also came to meet us and we had such a great lunch catching up!  After lunch the 4 of us (Tonie, Carley, Brad and I) went down to the Roadside Attraction for cheap beer and a good bonfire on the patio.  

I love this bar so much.  Its just everything I want a bar to be!  They also have a great covered patio and a roaring bonfire.  We love sitting outside drinking and talking.  Tonie's friend Marisa came down to meet us and we spent the rest of the day there.  On our way back to the house we made a quick stop at the Edgefield (where Brad and I got engaged/married/1st anniversaried) cause Brad wanted to pick up some of their whiskey.  I love that place and can't wait to be back there in the summer.

We went back to Tonie's and Bob and Sharon came by to wish us off!  We had such an amazing trip and I can't wait to be back in June.  I am so lucky to have such an AMAZING sister in law who always opens her home to us and always shows us such a great time. I love My Portland family so much!  Being with them feels like we are always with them.  Its easy, fun, and so comfortable. Part of my heart is always there! Thank you Portland for showing us another great time and I can't wait to see you again! Oregon, I'm yours!